I think we are going to put up some big numbers this year offensively AND our defense will improve some. I just think Denard brings us an intangible that can't be defended without making yourself weak in other areas, perhaps linebacker pass coverage. This will allow us to sustain longer drives which in itself makes our defense better.

That was the exact score I was going to predict but instead of wasting everyones time with reposting the same score I decided to waste everyones time by typing this reply back to you. I hope everyone enjoyed the 14 seconds they just wasted...

I am very mixed on this one. Part of me thinks we blow them out and another part of me believes that it's going to be really close. I dont recall the last season opener that I was this nervous for. I say the final score is 31-24 Michigan. We are gonna be up 31-17 with about five minutes left before, Uconn makes it interesting with a late touchdown. This late touchdown inherently makes me really nervous and I start to really pound the beers the last few minutes of the game until the clock hits 0 and we start out the season 1-0.

UM needs to win this game much more than UConn does, and I think it will show. I think our bulked-up front 6 will be able to slow down UConn's running game, but the secondary will give up some big plays. I think our offense will be able to exploit UConn's secondary.

Michigan, in double OT. This presages how the season is going to go. We'll score lots of points, but give up lots of points. Kicking game will be the difference in the majority of the contests, for good and bad.

They are better than we give them credit for, it's not like we're playing a bad team. Judging by both of our seasons last year, I wouldn't say that we'll win running away. We aren't going to go from having a terrible defense to an awesome one. It will be high-scoring and it will be close. To be honest, I'm not sure that we'll win, and I'm not sure if we will be able to stop anyone this year.

Come on. Florida was the rightful champ in '08, and you know it. That "decent" MAC team went 5-7 and didn't make a bowl game. I'm judging our last season ('08 is kind of irrelevant now, there's been so much turnover), where we couldn't stop anybody. If Cam Gordon can be a servicable deep safety, if JT Floyd can be a decent second corner, if the linebackers can actually read plays, and if our offense doesn't give the ball away like it did last year, then we will destroy UConn. I just haven't seen anything that indicates much of an improvement there. I'd like to be wrong, but frankly it would be incredible if our defense is competent this year.

Florida went 13-0 and beat much better teams. Utah has a claim to a split title, but if I had to give the title to one team, I'd give it to the one who ran the table against a better schedule. Florida also defeated Alabama. Utah was by no means the "rightful" champ.

Why are they better than we give them credit for? Their signature wins last year were against a 6-6 Notre Dame team and a 6-7 South Carolina team. I'm not saying we're world beaters, but I don't see why some people are so high on UConn. Yeah, they lost some close games, so did Michigan.

on both ends? what have you seen from uconn that leads you to believe that? and what have you seen from uconn that leads you to believe they are a good team? they beat 6-6 ND and 6-7 south carolina. that doesn't tell me they are a good team

I just think that they're better than some of us think. It's not that they're particularly great, but we aren't either. They lost a ton of close games, put up a lot of points last year and are returning a lot on offense. JMHE.

38-21. We come out like gangbusters and drop 21 on them in the first quarter while holding them scoreless. The rest of the game we just play it safe as their offense isn't conducive. come backs but rather for sitting on leads, of which they will never have in this game.

Being the first game of the season and against a quality opponent, I think our offense won't be quite as explosive as they will be later in the season. But our defense will play well enough that it won't matter. I think UConn will get their yards (especially on the ground), but they will lack the firepower to put up a lot of points in their offensive system. I think it'll be around a ten point game for most of the contest, with Michigan opening it up to 14 or 17 in the 4th quarter before the Huskies score a meaningless late game touchdown.

Then I say we go take advantage of the one year we might have the unquestioned upper hand on Brian Kelly, ride the momentum wave to 5-0, re-establish our place over MSU to get our bowl game, and then sit back and see just how good a one we can get over the second half of the season.

UM's offense will be better this year than it was last year and UConn has nothing close to capable of stopping us. But we can't buy a FG to save our lives (FGs are a problem all season). UM scores five TDs and misses one extra point (early in the game).

UConn is not a quick scoring team (they actually win TOP) and our run defense will be good enough to make them earn every yard and point. UConn scores high teens to low 20s.

Michigan kicks to UConn to open the game. Mouton sacks their QB on third-and-long. M scores on its first drive. 31-7 at the half; UConn gets some points as the defense tests out different personnel combinatins in the second half. After the game thousands of haters call me personally to apologize for doubting. I graciously accept their apologies and humbly deflect praise even though it is widely recognized in the national media that my stout faith in the team was a crucial key to victory.

I thinkt he game will be close until the fourth when a big play for Michigan will take the steam out of Uconn and the hungerier team will prevail. WIth Brock leading the team out, the home-opener, and the revealing of the new stadium; there will be too much of a home field advantage. And given the heartbreaking year for Uconn last year, I am not sure how well they will deal with adversity and emotion early this year.

With Mealer leading the team out into the stadium and it being the re dedication of the Big House, I see Michigan coming out of the gates strong and not really looking back. Uconn'll score 17, Michigan puts up 42+

All the doubters and haters are only fueling the team, should be a great Saturday.

Mich 5 Uconn 2
Uconn ends up 11-1. Our unreal defense happens to be the only ones who can stop them. Both teams end up with a safty, but we kick a 71 yard field goal in triple O.T. Danny Hope then is fired when the farest field goal Purdue makes is a 19 yarder all year.

UConn is not a bad team and, until proven otherwise, we aren't that good right now. Our offense should be very good especially if Shoelace (can we bring that back) is as improved as they say. Our defense should -- quite honestly -- be worse if anything.

Nine months ago I would have predicted UConn 38-31 or something like that, but I have been feeling better about this game lately. I think it will be more like 34-27 Michigan. We've got some youth issues here and there, but so do they. They have lost a LB/DE and a DE off of their front seven which they needed to be stiff to stop us. Their defensive backfield has the same question marks as ours. Their QB is experienced, but he put up very mediocre numbers last year. He might have an efficient day against us (60% completions, 10+ ypc, no INTs), but mere efficiency is not what I am afraid of. I've just got a feeling about this one. I like us to win a relatively high scoring game by about 7 points. If the game deviates from my prediction, I think that it will be in the direction of Michigan's favor (i.e. blowout territory).